Add These Marketing Mentors to Your Summer Reading List!

If you haven’t already, now is a great time to start creating your summer reading list. My all-time favourite genre to read is business. From Shoe Dog to How to Win Friends and Influence People, I think this genre is the most fascinating and innovative, with thought leaders and entrepreneurs publishing some of the coolest books out there.?

When it comes to choosing a business book, there is no shortage of must-reads. The difficult part? Knowing which books constitute a “must-read.” After all, it all comes down to personal preference anyway.?

So without further ado, gear up for a few of my personal favourites!

This I Know: Marketing Lessons from Under the Influence, Terry O'Reilly

• Why it’s a must-read: A book for the underdogs, This I Know divulges the secrets anyone looking to grow their business and stand out from the competition needs to know. Sharing the fundamentals of a good marketing strategy and how to build relationships that turn good marketing into great results, this book is inclusive to business owners of all budgets. If you enjoyed Terry’s bestselling Age of Persuasion, add this to your reading list.
• A favourite excerpt from my interview with Terry in Marketing Mentors: “Whenever I talk to college classes of young marketers, I always ask for a show of hands to find out how many want to pursue the creative path in marketing and how many want to do strategy. Most of them say creativity, and I’m always trying to get them to do strategy, as it’s one big gaping hole in our business.”

Contagious: Why Things Catch On, Jonah Berger

• Why it’s a must-read: We know the advertising industry is huge. But is the advertising industry responsible for why things catch on? According to Jonah, not entirely. This book shares the secret science behind word-of-mouth and social transmission. This book opened my mind and taught me the six basic principles that drive all sorts of things to become contagious. I strongly recommend it.?
• A favourite excerpt from my interview with Jonah in Marketing Mentors: “Jonah does not make it a requirement for students in his classes at Wharton to read his books, saying that many of the topics discussed in his lectures and his books overlap. He says learning the concepts of marketing can be overwhelming and tedious, so he worked to make his books in a style that is easier to read and simpler to understand.”

Think. Do. Say.: How to seize attention and build trust in a busy, busy world, Ron Tite

• Why it’s a must-read: We live in an increasingly busy world where we are oversaturated with information and commitments. Ron teaches readers how to cut through the noise with three words: Think. Do. Say. If you’re trying to seize attention and build trust with your audience, this is the book for you. Say goodbye to ineffective jargon, and as Ron puts it, start making good things happen for you and your organization.?
• A favourite excerpt from my interview with Ron in Marketing Mentors: “Ron believes that creativity becomes predictability. You have to optimize your creative ideas to create a predictable outcome, perfecting your original and creative thoughts. People need to realize that they can cultivate creativity, he says. Ideas will not come to you within three seconds – there is no magic formula. It takes a combination of time commitment and focused effort.”

The Bold Ones: Innovate and Disrupt to Become Truly Indispensable, Shawn Kanungo

• Why it’s a must-read: In The Bold Ones, internationally celebrated disruption strategist Shawn offers a playbook for individuals who know they need to become bolder to push their careers and companies forward, but don’t know how to innovate. Readers learn where to start, what to do and how to break through with their ideas. This book will really make you think.?
• A favourite excerpt from an interview with Shawn on the Marketing News Canada podcast: “I actually don’t like doing pre-recorded talks. The magic is live. I still have the same energy when I pre-record, but when I mess up live? There’s serendipity. We used to do things like FaceTime people or respond to people’s questions live. That’s the magic I’m talking about.”

Guerrilla Social Media Marketing: 100+ Weapons to Grow Your Online Influence, Attract Customers, and Drive Profits, Shane Gibson and Jay Conrad Levinson

• Why it’s a must-read: Equipping you with action plans, implementation steps and more than 100 marketing weapons, Jay Conrad Levinson, The Father of Guerrilla Marketing, and social media expert Shane Gibson teach you how to combine the timeless principles of guerrilla marketing with the latest social media applications and networks. A read you didn’t know you needed!
• A favourite excerpt from my interview with Shane on the Marketing News Canada podcast: “You’ll hear a story where it wasn’t someone's first choice. Sales was an activity, not a profession, like ‘just get someone in here to do an activity and fill space.’ Now there’s been a very prevalent shift. People go to BCIT and their intent when in the business program is to graduate with a specialization in sales. The Canadian Professional Sales Association has a designation of Certified Sales Professionals and Leaders. We’re seeing sales become a designation and people take it seriously as a profession. We’re seeing its potential and also its career arc.”

I am always on the lookout for books that challenge me to be a better marketer, leader and person, but I’m also always hoping to give credit to the authors that deserve it. It should come as no surprise that books are one of my favourite conversation topics– I simply love hearing about the literary works that have changed people's lives.?

What books are on your must-read list this summer?